Navratri 2019: Here’s how you can add contemporary swag to your traditional outfits

Are you ready to celebrate nine days of dance and festivities? While your first thought would be to pick a traditional attire, we recommend you give it a contemporary twist. Here’s how.

Are you ready to celebrate nine days of dance and festivities? While your first thought would be to pick a traditional attire, we recommend you give it a contemporary twist.

Here are some traditional looks that are trendy and stylish. The idea is to break the monotony of old styles you go back to every year, and still retain a hint of tradition.

Take your pick and check out what’s haute and happening this season.

All about comfort

This deep purple, flared, chanderi pallazo with sequin motifs, and a loose tie-up blouse with flap sleeves is perfect for Navratri. The high-waisted flared pants and blouse are comfortable and loose, and will keep you cool.

Give your Indian traditional outfits a trendy and contemporary twist this festive season. Fashion designer Izzumi Mehta tells us how:

Something like a backless blouse with strings or open crisscross backs will give your outfit a modern look and also keep you cool while dancing.

Opt for fabrics such as georgette, crepe or light cotton-based lehengas or pallazos so that it can handle the mirror work embroidery, but would still be light to carry and extremely breathable at the same time.

Go for a full round ghera cut without a cancan. And most importantly, keep your dupatta light but sparkly, so it does not bother you while dancing. While the mirror work embroidery will give you the traditional look, the blouse with dupatta will make your entire appearance elegant and comfortable.

Print it off!

Shashi S Kashyap / HT

If you do not prefer embroideries, you could always go for traditional prints. This brown printed shrug/koti, teamed with a mustard yellow printed skirt by Rajdeep Ranawat is trendy yet traditional.

Top-sy turvy

Pramod Thakur/ HT

Though kedias are known to be more of a men’s outfit during Navratri, here we can see actor Mrunal Thakur donning a kedia-style top with golden motifs and thread work, designed by Alka Sharma.

Magic Motifs

Instagram/PaulmiandHarsh

Along with colours and fabrics, there is one important element that enhances any ensemble, and that’s the motifs on a garment. While traditional motifs have been a part of many outfits during the festive season, this time, there are a variety of motifs and prints to choose from. For fashion designers Paulmi and Harsh, the cutdana and sequin embroidery, hand-painted Jaipuri butis, moti and thread embroidered motifs are something to look forward to.

Step Up in a Sari

A pale rose pre-draped lungi sari with an asymmetrical crop top is a perfect breezy option for you to be stylish and comfortable enough to dance the night away, suggests fashion designer Pooja Sampat. The embellished organza pallu has vibrant floral threadwork that is light to carry and makes an elegant style statement.

Just accessorise

Instagram/ Arpita Mehta

Be it the dupatta or the tie-up strings on the lehenga, the cowrie shells are a hit during Navratri. Fashion designer

Arpita Mehta gives a contemporary twist to the shells by placing them on the strap and the bottom of the choli. You could get a pair of hoop earrings and glue the cowrie shells on it.

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